TripAdvisor, the renowned online travel guide, let travelers plan their trips to any corner of the world with ease and convenience. The app has over 490 million active users with more than 7 million locations. The app serves to be the largest hub to get 702 million reviews of every leading hotel around the globe. Every hour more than 7,000 new contributors appear on the app.

If you are planning to create a clone site or looking for ways to develop a similar app like TripAdvisor you need to ponder on various aspects. According to Clutch, the cost to develop a software product ranges between 28 to 171 thousand dollars. It covers everything from design to functionality to testing.

As per the Cleveroad analysis, the average hourly rate of qualified developers in the U.S. is around $178 per hour. If you want to go for more cost-effective options, you can look for developers in Africa and Asia with rates between $26.5 per hour. To help you understand more about how effectively you can create a clone app like TripAdvisor here is a breakdown below based on three main markets, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the USA.

Cost & Functionality of The Three Different Versions of TripAdvisor

Here is a detailed cost breakdown based on the individual features of the three versions of the app.

Cost To Create A Simplest Version of TripAdvisor

The cost varies depending upon the kind of functionality you integrate into your app. If you want to go for the simplest version with no API integration, no server-side, simple functionality including login option, calendar and subscription features the cost breakdown will be as follow:

Cost To Create A Moderate Version of TripAdvisor

If you go for a moderate version of the app, you can have user interface capabilities along with payment functions, headset and tablet adaptation and API interaction. There can be backend serve facilities available as well. So, here is the cost breakdown of such an app.

Cost To Create A Complex Version of TripAdvisor

To get a full-featured version of TripAdvisor with all the functionality the app offers you need to be prepared to pay a huge amount but yes, the perks are even bigger. Check out the cost breakdown below:

The Complete Cost Guide To Develop An App Like TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is associated with a niche where the app is supposed to engage and entertain thousands of users belonging to different regions at a same time.

The app holds tons of data and information. The platform has nearly a million attractions listed with high-definition images and individual descriptions. The overall cost of an app depends upon many factors from the complexity of the interface and functionality and the development’s country as well. As you have noticed that the amount varies in all three regions- Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the USA.

Moreover, even if you plan to pick a reasonable developer, you have to go through the cost breakdown with respect to the many features the app holds. Let’s dive into the comprehensive app development process and learn about how much does it cost to develop an app like TripAdvisor.

Cost Of the Pre-Development Phase

You do not jump start developing an app. You have to ponder on several aspects along with carrying out research and defining the scope. So, here to create market research that leads to the scope of the project to create a specific outline you need an expert. Here are the three modules of research and report based on different cost range and material details:

Basic Project Report:

In a basic level of report or the scope of the app, the expert will carry out the market analysis and define the size of the industry, major trends, key players or the leading competitors. It will also define how the industry is growing and what factors are contributing the most.

Cost Breakdown:

• Eastern Europe– The cost to hire a developer is around $35/hr. and the total amount reaches to $500.
• Western Europe- The cost to hire a developer is around $45/hr. and the total amount reaches to $800.
• USA- The cost to hire a developer is around $50/hr. and the total amount reaches to $1000.

Top Level Market Report:

The report is pretty detailed as it carries the description of the market and all of its subcategories. It will have basic data defining the current scenario, the trends that are progressing and can have the forecasted growth of the app with the certain features the owner agrees to keep. It can also help you get the predicted growth plan to follow including the interface, functionality, and marketing ideas.

Cost Breakdown:

• Eastern Europe– The developer would charge around $50/hr. and the total amount reaches $1500.
• Western Europe- The developer would charge around $100/hr. and the total amount reaches $5000.
• USA- The developer would charge around $140/hr. and the total amount reaches $8000.

Comprehensive Market Report:

In the comprehensive market report, everything from trends to forecasted growth to data analysis is covered. The expert gets down with the app owner and define the scope indicating all the milestone and jotting down the features to add to the app. It’s like a complete roadmap that follows market research, predictions, trends, and the expected end product.

Cost Breakdown:

• Eastern Europe– The developer would charge around $100/hr. and the total amount reaches to $15,000.
• Western Europe- The developer would charge around $150/hr. and the total amount reaches to $25,000.
• USA- The developer would charge around $180/hr. and the total amount reaches to $35,000.

Cost Of the Development Phase

To get the cost of developing an app like TripAdvisor you have to know the amount invested in its different aspects. TripAdvisor is a native app to ensure a high response rate and user-friendliness. The amount to create the two different versions of the native app is as follows:

• Native IOS App starts at $20,000 & reaches $150,000
• Native Android App starts at starts $15,000 and reaches to $170,000

Basic TripAdvisor Features- Cost & Details

Now coming up to the basic features of TripAdvisor. If you only ponder on the basic aspects of the app, you will get a minimalistic app version with limitations to usability and functionality. So, here are the details of the basic features and their individual costs.

Registration & Account Creation

The feature allows users to create their accounts to book hotels, and flights and get the travel guide. Their personalized dashboard is created where every detail of their tour is saved. Users get the facility to either log in through their Gmail account or their Facebook profile.

To implement the feature the total time duration takes is around 110 hours, whereas the rates as per the three individual markets are as follows:

• Eastern Europe– $3,850
• Western Europe – $5,000
• USA– $19,580

Integrated Search Box with Filters

To facilitate an easy search, the app has to have an integrated search box with accurate filters to ensure quick product discovery. At TripAdvisor, you can find the fastest search box to help users locate hotels, places or whatever they are looking for. The duration to integrate the feature is around 10-25 hours. Whereas the development cost is as follows:

• Eastern Europe- $1,225
• Western Europe – $3,000
• USA– $6,230

Maps & Geolocation Integration

Apps like TripAdvisor have geolocation integration to let users find the nearest hotels and recreational spots. Secondly, with the help of map integration, users can get real-time navigation to reach the spot. It helps in making the app more user-friendly and engaging. The duration involved in integration maps and geolocation is around 70+ hours and 50+ hours respectively. The total amount involved is as follows:

Cost to Integrate Maps

• Eastern Europe- $10,000
• Western Europe – $20,000
• USA– $25,000

Cost to Integrate Geolocation

• Eastern Europe- $500
• Western Europe $1,000
• USA– $15,00

User Panel

A User Panel shows a complete history that includes reservations, reviews, preferences, personal information, and other bio details including marital details and status. The total duration involved is around 80 hours. The development cost is given below:

• Eastern Europe- $2,800
• Western Europe $10,000
• USA– $14,280

Rating And Reviews System

As per the stats, around 87% of the traveler’s post reviews on the app about different locations, spots and hotels. So, to make an app like TripAdvisor you need to add the rating and review system for individual spots and locations. The total duration involved is 40 to 50 hours whereas the amount is around:

• Eastern Europe- $1,400
• Western Europe $5,000
• USA– $7,120

Media Content

It’s important to upload high-definition images of restaurants and hotels along with top-rated cuisines. It helps the travelers in making the decision right and real quick. So, if you want your app to have this feature you must know that the total duration involved is around 30+ hours whereas the cost is as follow:

• Eastern Europe- $1,050
• Western Europe $4,000
• USA– $5,340

Push Notifications

Push notifications add more convenience to the app. It helps in attracting users and draw their attention back to the app. Adding more user-friendliness the duration for its integration will be around 20 to 40 hours. This huge difference is due to the level of notifications you want to give to your users. Whether you can simply nudge to keep them updated about using their app back or a detailed version of the update with all the details they must know, you need to pick the functionality based on your needs. Furthermore, the total amount is mentioned below:

• Eastern Europe- $100
• Western Europe $200
• USA– $500

Advanced TripAdvisor Features- Cost & Details

The reason behind TripAdvisor’s massive global reach lies in its highly responsive and seamless interface. The app has a feature-rich layout with every function designed to add more convenience and usability. Here is the details and cost range for the advanced features to integrate in your app.

Booking Facilities

Users on the app can book a flight to any location and get a rough estimate of flight fare and the total travel cost of the tour. Apart from this, users can book accommodations. They can look for hotels to properties including residential suits. They can compare fares and get rough estimates based on rooms and hours. Next is travel booking packages in which they get customized travel packages including everything traveling cost, desires airline, accommodations, and expense on meals.

The next category is about flight and car rental booking, where users can book commutes for their tours. They get local and private options for the location they want to travel to and they can make bookings. The last booking package includes different cost-effective packages with filters to the number of days and members to travel with. The package includes all the facilities listed above in a single deal. Here is the cost to add all the mentioned booking packages below:

Hotel Price Comparison

Users want to get facilitated by the feature to easily compare the prices of different hotels, flight fares and restaurant food options. Travelers always look for good but cost-effective means to travel and to integrate this feature in your app you need to be prepared to invest more than 6 to 20 hours in your app and the total estimated amount is around $6,000. If you want even lower your costs and save time, a few companies provide hotel prices API that facilitates comparison data of hotels on different OTAs can be a wise consideration.

Forums

On TripAdvisor, there are almost 20,000 users actively involved in the Forums section at a time. There are many communities and active contributors involved who share and discuss details of their tour with each other. There are many blogs that act as a valuable guide for the travelers. If you want to add the feature in your app you need to get ready to bear a cost of about $10,000 with a duration of about 20 hours.

TripWatch

TripWatch speaks volume of how advanced the app- TripAdvisor is. The app has a built-in integration of a version where officers and army professionals can carry out marine search and rescue activities. They can manage information about the boat and vehicles including a highly secured payment gateway.

To integrate such a feature in your app you need to get the license of different marine coast memberships and seek permission to allow the kind of integration you want. All of it can skyrocket your app development cost. The cost to integrate the feature is around $20, 000 with the total duration of about 50+ hours.

App Functionality for Service Providers- Features & Cost

Where TripAdvisor facilitates customers, it has a separate list of features for the service providers. The app aims to ease the usability for the service provider making it easier for them to add listings and manage customer queries.

Adding Service Listings

Your app should have the features to allows restaurants, spa’s and hotel owners to freely add the list of services they offer with all the details and price. To enable such a feature, you have to bear the cost of about $ 1,750 to $ 8,900 and the total duration would be around 50+ hours.

Analytical Tools

It’s important to monitor customer behavior and to understand their pain points. Therefore, the app should have a cutting-edge analytical tool that can gather information about the different customer activities, The duration would be around 10 to 200 hours, whereas the amount estimated is $89,000.

Booking Management

Which room is available and what services are not present for the customers based on the regions, are all handled the booking management feature. Therefore, it’s a must-have on your app. The duration involved is around 15+ hours whereas the estimated development cost is about $2870.

Cost Of the Post Development Phase

The post development phase involved two things- the app testing and its launch.

App Testing

The most important step involved in the post app development phase is the A/B Testing where the app functionality and its usability is checked.

App Launch- Marketing Budget

You sure want your app like TripAdvisor to outperform and mark a position in the app industry. To achieve the goal, you have to get involved in pre-launch practices and then head to the launch campaign. The two different campaigns details with their individual cost are described below:

Pre-launch Campaign

You have to first your app on the Google Play Store and get involved in App Store Optimization to get greater reach and to discover potential users. First, you need to carry out research to hunt your target audience. The cost of which is around $5,000 and $15,000. Secondly, when it comes to App Store Optimization varies. The tools are used to improvise the meta titles, descriptions and all the app details using the most searched keywords. You will have to pay between $25..$,1,500/month. If you go for complete ASO services you will have to pay between $1,000 and up to $25,000 per app.

Marketing Launch Campaign

To launch an app, you have to step into the different fields of marketing. You will have to consult different professionals with skills in various marketing avenues. Here are the marketing categories with their respective budget involved in making your app succeed in the industry.

• App PR Outreach Costs – $100 – 300 / hour
• Influencer Marketing Costs $10k – $18k/ month
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) cost- $500/ month
• Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising cost- $400/ month
• Social media marketing (SMM) cost- $700/ month
• Content marketing cost- $500/ month

What is the cost of a custom app like TripAdvisor?

The cost to develop a custom app like TripAdvisor range between $300,000 and $500,000.

How to create a review like the TripAdvisor site?

First, you need to decide the domain name and then select your hosting platform. Choose a development site let it be WordPress and then either install a theme or get a custom based functionality with the assistance of a professional.